Petunia-Calibrachoa hybrid plant named ‘SAKPXC012’

ABSTRACT

A new  Petunia - Calibrachoa  hybrid plant particularly distinguished by having a cherry rose flower color and semi-creeping plant growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Petunia-Calibrachoa intergeneric hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKPXC012’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofPetunia-Calibrachoa (Petchoa) referred to by the variety name‘SAKPXC012’. Variety ‘SAKPXC012’ originated from a hybridization inKakegawa, Japan in December 2007. The male parent was a proprietaryhybrid calibrachoa line named ‘CBR-1’ (unpatented), which has a redflower color and a creeping plant habit. The female parent is aproprietary hybrid petunia line named ‘AM5-264’ (unpatented), which hasa deep pink flower color and a mounding plant habit.

In December 2007, an F₁ generation from the initial hybridization wasgrown and approximately 30 seeds were obtained. In February 2008, 30seeds were sown and the plants were cultivated in a greenhouse.Segregation in the F₁ generation resulted in plants having a rose andcherry rose flower color and a mounding and semi-creeping plant habits.In May 2008, a plant was selected from the group of plants thatexhibited a cherry rose flower color and semi-creeping plant habit. Theline was given the experimental name ‘K2008-J-229’.

In July 2008, the selection was vegetatively propagated to producerooted cuttings, and the plants were cultivated in an open field. InNovember 2008, the selection was observed to have its distinctcharacteristics remain stable. In February 2009, the selection waspropagated again and plants were cultivated. In May 2009, it wasconfirmed that the distinct characteristics of the selection were fixedand stable. The selection was given the experimental name ‘K2008-J-229’.The selection was later named ‘SAKPXC012’ and was found to reproducetrue to type in successive generations of asexual propagation viavegetative cuttings in Salinas, Calif.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Cherry rose flower color; and    -   2. A semi-creeping plant habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Petunia-Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form,foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a four-month-old plantgrown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in Fall 2013. Thecolors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the foliage and flower.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘SAKPXC012’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inSalinas, Calif. Data was collected on four-month-old plants grown undergreenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in the spring of 2014. Colorreferences are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition. Anatomic labels are from TheCambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, by M. Hickey and C.King, Cambridge University.

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.        -   Botanical.—Petunia-Calibrachoa hybrid.        -   Common.—Petchoa, petunia-calibrachoa.        -   Designation.—‘SAKPXC012’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary hybrid petunia plant line            ‘AM5-264’ (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—Proprietary hybrid calibrachoa plant line            ‘CBR-1’ (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—4 weeks.        -   Time to bloom from propagation.—8 to 10 weeks.        -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0            to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The            vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six weeks.            The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a            1:9 solution of DIP 'N GROW (1 solution: 9 water), a root            inducing solution, immediately prior to sticking into the            cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays            having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based            growing medium. For the first week, the cuttings were misted            with water from overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes            until sufficient roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were            transplanted and grown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots in a            glass greenhouse located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a            peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble fertilizer            containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium            was applied once a day or every other day by overhead            irrigation. Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow release            fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18%            potassium. The typical average air temperature was 24° C.-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit.—Semi-creeping.        -   Life cycle.—Tender perennial.        -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—15.0 cm.        -   Spread.—45.0 cm.-   Stems:    -   -   General.—Dull in appearance and circular in cross-section.        -   Stem length.—1.0 cm from soil line to first node; 22.0 cm in            length from end to end.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.5 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green).        -   Pubescence.—Heavy, color is RHS N155A (White).        -   Anthocyanin color.—Absent.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull.        -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Light; pubescence is RHS            N155A (White).        -   Length.—5.5 cm.        -   Width.—1.7 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 137A (Yellow-Green). Lower            surface: RHS 138B (Yellow-Green).        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Petiole.—Absent.-   Flowers:    -   -   Total number of flowers (per plant).—Approximately 77.        -   Flowering habit.—Indeterminate.        -   Flower type.—Solitary.        -   Flowering requirements.—Will flower so long as day length is            greater than 12 hours and temperature exceeds 13° C.        -   Duration of flowers.—5 days.        -   Shape.—The flowers are funnel shaped with five fissures and            a shallow, yet slight, indentation of the petal tip at the            midvein.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.        -   Length.—3.1 cm.        -   Diameter.—1.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Color.—RHS N79C (Purple) with RHS N79A (Purple) veins.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—1.9 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 144B (Yellow-Green) with some anthocyanin, which            is RHS N187A (Greyed-Purple).        -   Texture.—Dull, light pubescence, pubescence color is RHS            N155A (White).-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower depth.—1.0 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—4.2 cm.        -   Flower tube length.—2.5 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—0.5 cm.-   Calyx:    -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 5 sepals, fused below the middle.        -   Sepals.—Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Length: 2.5 cm. Diameter: 5.0 mm. Color (both surfaces): RHS            137C (Green).-   Corolla:    -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 5 petals, fused.        -   Diameter.—5.0 cm.        -   Petal.—Apex: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Base: Fused.            Pubescence (both surfaces): Glabrous. Lobe length: 3.0 cm.            Lobe width: 2.3 cm. Color: Upper surface: Closest to but            brighter than RHS 61B (Red-Purple). Lower surface: RHS 63C            (Red-Purple).        -   Corolla tube color.—Inner: Closest to RHS 13A (Yellow).            Outer: RHS 10A (Yellow) with RHS 143A (Green) veins.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamen number.—5, free.        -   Stamen length.—1.0 cm.        -   Anther color.—3A (Yellow).        -   Stamen color.—RHS 150D (Yellow-Green).        -   Filament color.—RHS 11C (Yellow).        -   Pollen color.—RHS 3B (Yellow).        -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.        -   Ovary.—Superior.        -   Placenta arrangement.—Central.        -   Pistil number.—1 per inflorescence.        -   Pistil length.—1.7 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 141B (Yellow-Green).        -   Style length.—1.5 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 149C (Yellow-Green).-   Seed production: None observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: Excellent resistance to rain, heat    and drought. Will not tolerate temperatures below 10° C. Plants are    susceptible to Botrytis, powdery mildew, various stem and root rots,    and certain viruses, like Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Impatiens    Necrotic Spotted Virus. Plants can be infested with aphids,    leafminer, whitefly and various Lepitopdera.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKPXC012’ is a new and unique variety of intergenericPetunia-Calibrachoa owing to its cherry rose flower color andsemi-creeping plant growth habit. ‘SAKPXC012’ is distinguished from itsparents mainly by flower color and plant growth habit as shown in Table1 below):

TABLE 1 Male Parent Female Parent Characteristic ‘SAKPXC012’ ‘CBR-1’‘AM5-264’ Flower color Cherry rose Red Deep pink Plant growth habitSemi-creeping Creeping Mounding

‘SAKPXC012’ is a new and unique variety of intergenericPetunia-Calibrachoa owing to its rose flower color and semi-creepingplant growth habit. ‘SAKPXC012’ is most similar to the commercialPetunia-Calibrachoa variety ‘SAKPXC007’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,853),commercially known as SuperCal® ‘Cherry’; however there are differencesin the flower color as described in the table below (color referencesare to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 4th edition) andgrowth habit as shown in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘SAKPXC012’ ‘SAKPXC007’ Petal color, Closest tobut brighter than Closest to RHS 61B upper surface RHS 61B (Red-Purple)Petal color, RHS 63C (Red-Purple) RHS 59D (Red-Purple) with lowersurface RHS N77A (Purple) veins Plant growth Semi-creeping Moundinghabit

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia-Calibrachoa hybridplant as shown and described herein.